Environmental Studies Textbook for Class IV

LOOKING AROUNDLOOKING AROUND
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
TEXTBOOK FOR CLASS IV
2019-20

First EditionFirst EditionFirst EditionFirst EditionFirst Edition
February 2007 Magha 1928
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February 2009 Phalguna 1930
January 2010 Magha 1931
March 2011 Phalguna 1932
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December 2017 Pausa 1939
December 2018 Agrahayana1940
PD 400T RPS
©©©©© National Council of EducationalNational Council of EducationalNational Council of EducationalNational Council of EducationalNational Council of Educational
Research and Training, 2007Research and Training, 2007Research and Training, 2007Research and Training, 2007Research and Training, 2007
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the Secretary, National Council of
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ISBN 81-7450-664-0
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Head, Publication : M. Siraj Anwar
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TAHERA PATHAN AND RABIA SHEIKH
HIMMAT, AHMEDABAD
2019-20

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005, recommends that children’s life at
school must be linked to their life outside the school. This principle marks a departure
from the legacy of bookish learning which continues to shape our system and causes
a gap between the school, home and community. The syllabi and textbooks developed
on the basis of NCF signify an attempt to implement this basic idea. They also attempt
to discourage rote learning and the maintenance of sharp boundaries between different
subject areas. We hope these measures will take us significantly further in the direction
of a child-centred system of education outlined in the National Policy on
Education (1986).
The success of this effort depends on what steps that school principals and teachers
will take to encourage children to reflect on their own learning and to pursue
imaginative activities and questions. We must recognise that, given space, time and
freedom, children generate new knowledge by engaging with the information passed
on to them by adults. Treating the prescribed textbook as the sole basis of examination
is one of the key reasons why other resources and sites of learning are ignored.
Inculcating creativity and initiative is possible if we perceive and treat children as
participants in learning, not as receivers of a fixed body of knowledge.
These aims imply considerable change in school routines and mode of functioning.
Flexibility in the daily time-table is as necessary as rigour in implementing the annual
calendar so that the required number of teaching days are actually devoted to teaching.
The methods used for teaching and evaluation will also determine how effective this
textbook proves for making children’s life at school a happy experience, rather than a
source of stress or boredom. Syllabus designers have tried to address the problem of
curricular burden by restructuring and reorienting knowledge at different stages
with greater consideration for child psychology and the time available for teaching.
The textbook attempts to enhance this endeavour by giving higher priority and space
to opportunities for contemplation and wondering, discussion in small groups, and
activities requiring hands-on experience.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) appreciates
the hard work done by the textbook development committee responsible for this book.
We wish to thank the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee for Textbooks at the the
primary level, Anita Rampal, Professor, CIE, Delhi University, Delhi, Chief Advisor,
Savithri Singh, Principal, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, New
Delhi, Co-chief Advisor, Farah Farooqi, Reader, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, for guiding
the work of this committee. Several teachers contributed to the development of this
FOREWORD
2019-20

textbook. We are grateful to their principals for making this possible. We are indebted
to the institutions and organisations which have generously permitted us to draw
upon their resources, material and personnel. We are especially grateful to the members
of the National Monitoring Committee, appointed by the Department of Secondary
and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development under the
Chairpersonship of Professor Mrinal Miri and Professor G.P. Deshpande, for their
valuable time and contribution.
As an organisation committed to systemic reform and continuous improvement
in the quality of its products, NCERT welcomes comments and suggestions which
will enable us to undertake further revision and refinement.
Director
New Delhi National Council of Educational
20 November 2006 Research and Training
iv
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The team for the development of this book found it a challenging task to translate the
objectives as defined in the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 while
preparing this national-level textbook. The writing team would like to share some of
the issues that were discussed during the process.
The child looks at the environment around her/him in a holistic manner and does
not compartmentalise any topic into ‘science’ and ‘social science’, hence, it was thought
essential that we too aim for this integration within the book, instead of having two
disparate sections. Instead of proceeding with lists of ‘topics’, the syllabus itself has
proposed themes that allowed a connected and inter-related understanding to develop.
An attempt has been made in the book to locate every theme in physical, social and
cultural contexts critically so that the child can make informed choices.
The challenge, when writing at a national-level, was to reflect the multicultural
dimensions of diverse classrooms. It was felt necessary that all children feel important –
their community, culture, and their way of life – are all important. While writing the
book – Who is the child we are addressing – was the big question. Is she/he the
child in big schools of the metro, or the school in the slums, a small-town child, one in
a village shala or the one in the remote mountainous area? How do we address such
diverse group? One also needed to tackle the differences of gender, class, culture,
religion, language, geographical location, etc. These are some of the issues addressed
in the book, which the teacher will also have to handle in her own ways.
Before discussing the concerns/issues related to this area, you go through the
syllabus of this subject which is broadly divided into six themes, namely, family and
friends, food, water, shelter, travel and things we make and do. It is available on the
NCERT website (www.ncert.nic.in). It will help you understand the subject better.
The content in the book is centred on the child, providing her/him a lot of space to
explore. There is a conscious effort to discourage rote learning and hence descriptions
and definitions were totally avoided. It is always easy to give information; the real
challenge was to provide opportunities to a child where she/he can vocalise, build
upon her/his curiosity, learn-by-doing, ask questions, experiment, etc. In order that
the child is happy to engage with the book, a variety of formats have been used –
narratives, poems, stories, puzzles, jigsaw, comic strips, etc. Stories and narratives
have been used as a tool for sensitising the child since a child can probably more
easily empathise with characters in a story or a narrative. The language used in the
book is not 'formal' but is in the ‘commonly spoken’ form.
Active participation of children is very important in constructing knowledge.
Activities in the book that demand that children be taken for observations to the
A NOTE FOR THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS
2019-20

parks, fields, water-bodies, into the community, etc., reiterates that EVS learning
primarily occurs outside the walls of the classrooms. An effort has been made to
relate the child’s local knowledge to the school knowledge. It is important to state here
that the activities given in the book are only suggestive and that both the activities and
the materials can and should be, modified by the teacher according to the local contexts.
Activities and exercises have been inbuilt into the chapters instead of being pushed to
the end. The nature of activities in the book are so varied so that the child gets
opportunities to explore, observe, draw, categorise, speak, question, write, list,etc.Several
activities allow her/him to manipulate things with her/his hands so that her/his
psychomotor skills are developed. Some of them explore her/his creativity and design
skills as well as hone her/his aesthetic sense. All activities need to be followed by
discussions to facilitate children in consolidating what they have observed and learnt.
With an appropriate question or suggestion, the child’s understanding can be extended
far beyond the point which she/he could have reached alone.
Children are encouraged to tap sources other than the textbook and teachers, such
as family members, members of the community, newspapers, story books, other reading
material, etc. This stresses the fact that textbooks are not the only sources of information.
To develop a sense of history, the children are encouraged to question the elderly about
the past. These activities also promote the parents’ and community’s involvement in the
school and the teacher gets an opportunity to know a child’s background.
Illustrations form an important component of children’s books. The writing team
has kept in mind that the illustrations in this book reflect the ethos of the written
material. Content development through illustrations was a major consideration. The
illustrations have been used such that they complement the writing style fully. The
illustrations should provide joy and also a challenge, to the child.
The book provides varied kind of opportunities for the child to work – individually,
in small groups or even in larger groups. Group learning promotes peer learning and
improves social interactions. Children particularly enjoy learning crafts and arts while
working in groups. Children are very happy and respond with enthusiasm when
their creative ventures are appreciated rather than dismissed (as unimportant).
The objective of the activities and questions in the book is not only to evaluate the
child’s knowledge but also to provide an opportunity to the children to express themselves.
The children should be given enough time to work on these activities and questions; they
should not be rushed since each child learns at her/his own pace. It is envisaged that
each teacher will develop her/his own evaluation tools suitable for her/his students based
on her/his own method of teaching and local contexts. For better understanding on
assessment practices and procedures in EVS, NCERT has developed a source book
on assessment in it for the primary stage. It will be useful if you go through this
document as well. The child should be evaluated primarily on the skills she/he has
vi
2019-20

acquired while working in class or outside. Evaluation, of course, should be a continuous
process and the child should be assessed as she/he observes, asks, draws, discusses in
groups, etc. In order to follow the continuous and comprehensive evaluation in
teaching-learning, activities and questions have been inbuilt in the text. You need to
follow it in the same manner while teaching-learning.
One of the major concerns while developing textual materials was to find suitable
ways to sensitise the child to the wide differences that exist within our society – in our
physical abilities, economic backgrounds, behavioural patterns, etc. – things which get
reflected in the way and where we live, what kind of school we go to, the way we talk, the
way we think, what we eat, what we wear, our access to basic amenities, etc. We would
like every child to recognise that in any society there are differences; we need to learn to
appreciate and respect these differences. Teachers have to be extra-careful that such
social issues are handled in a sensitive manner, especially when there are children with
special needs or in difficult circumstances, in the class.
This book also brings to you some more significant elements. The bulk of the
chapters in the book are based on examples from contemporary life. The chapters
either tell stories of real events or inform us about exciting characters drawn from
everyday life as life itself is a rich source of information and learning. Further, narratives
from real life inspire us, they can bring to us an interesting point of reference, they
can provide us an opportunity to revisit experiences we are familiar with.
These narrative range from success stories, achievements and also instances of
disturbing behaviour patterns. The instance we selected are from the lives of lesser
known people rather than from the lives of celebrities as we feel that the lives of ordinary
people can be a greater inspiration and lessen the distance between object and subject.
It is hoped that those exposed to these narratives will relate with them creatively
rather than take them at face value. Through activities and discussion points in each
chapter, great care is taken to provide such opportunities. It must be stressed that
the selections are not to be viewed like an ‘instant meal’ to be consumed without
further processing – none of the narratives, positive or negative, are intended to be
blindly emulated or looked down upon and discarded. It is hoped that children and
adults alike will critique them on the basis of their own unique experience, core values
and skills of analysis. Such a process will enrich teaching-learning and add a dimension
to children’s way of understanding the book of life as they mature.
The writing team looks not only at the children, but at the teachers also, as
individuals who construct knowledge and build on their own experiences. The textbook
is only one of the many teaching-learning materials used by teachers. Thus, this
textbook should only be viewed as an aid to the teacher, around which the teacher
could organise her teaching to provide learning opportunities to children.
vii
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CHAIRPERSON, ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR TEXTBOOKS AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL
Anita Rampal, Professor, Department of Education (CIE), University
of Delhi, Delhi
CHIEF ADVISOR
Savithri Singh, Principal, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi,
Delhi
CO-CHIEF ADVISOR
Farah Farooqi, Reader, Faculty of Education, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
MEMBERS
Latika Gupta, Consultant, SSA, DEE, NCERT, New Delhi
Mamata Pandya, Programme Director, Centre for Environment Education,
Ahmedabad
Poonam Mongia, Teacher, Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Vikas Puri, New Delhi
Reena Ahuja, Programme Officer, National Education Group-FIRE, Gautam
Nagar, New Delhi
Sangeeta Arora, Primary Teacher, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Shalimar Bagh,
New Delhi
Simantini Dhuru, Director, Avehi Abacus Project, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Swati Verma, Teacher, The Heritage School, Rohini, New Delhi
MEMBER-COORDINATOR
Manju Jain, Professor, Department of Elementary Education, NCERT,
New Delhi
TEXTBOOK DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
2019-20

The NCERT thanks the authors, poets and organisations for permitting the use of their
work in this book – Lisa Heydlauff (author) for Going to School (Lesson 1, extracted from
a book – Going to School in India) and Children’s pen, (Lesson 1, Chakmak, published
by Eklavya); ‘Going to School’ an organisation supported by UNICEF for Anita and Her
Honeybees (Lesson 5, extracted from a true story), ‘The Concerned for Working Children’,
an organisation working in Karnataka for Too much water, Too little water (Lesson 18,
extracted from a case study on Bhima Sangh-Children’s Panchayat); Smt. Vimuben
Badheka, Shri Dakshinamurti Balmandir for A Busy Month (Lesson 16, extracted from
Rutu na Rang by Gijubhai Badheka); Sujatha Padmanabhan (author), Madhuvanti
Anantharajan and Manisha Sheth Gutman (Illustrators), Namgyal Institute for People
with Disability, Leh, Ladakh for Chuskit Goes to School (Lesson 27 : adapted story).
We are grateful to Shri S. Vinayak, AMO, SSA, Andhra Pradesh for collecting
children’s essay on Pochampalli Sarees and Ms K. Kalyani, Lady Sri Ram College,
Delhi University for translating the same (Lesson 23). We express our thanks to the
Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad and Avehi Abacus, Mumbai for use
of their publications that formed the base for some of the lessons. The contribution
of the following Organisations, Institutions for deputing experts is also highly
appreciated – Director, Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad; Director, Avehi
Abacus, Mumbai; Principal, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi; Principal,
Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Vikas Puri, New Delhi; Principal, The Heritage School,
Rohini, Delhi. We are thankful to the Director General, Armed Force Medical Services,
Ministry of Defence (M-Block), New Delhi for extending his help to conduct an interview
of Surgeon Lieutenant Commander, Wahida Prism (Lesson 26); State Project Directors,
SSA, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh for providing text material on Itr (Lesson 11)
and Pochampalli (Lesson 23) respectively; the teachers of K. V. Assam, Ms Bulbul
(Dhuliajan) and Ms V.D. Sharma (Namroop) for providing material on Bihu (Lessson
20) and the photograph on page 170. We thank Mamta Pandya, CEE, Ahmedabad
and Neeta Beri, New Delhi for preparing the English version of the book.
We are specially grateful to K.K. Vashishtha, Professor and Head, Department of
Elementary Education, NCERT who has extended every possible help in developing this
book. We also express our gratitude to Shveta Uppal, Chief Editor, NCERT for going through
the book and giving useful suggestions. We also acknowledge the contribution of Sushma
Jairath,Reader,DepartmentofWomenStudiesandKiranDevendra,Professor,DEE,NCERT
for editing manuscript from the gender perspective. We are grateful to Shakambar Dutt,
Incharge Computer Station, DEE; Vijay Kumar, DTP Operator; Shreshtha Vats and Deepti
Sharma, Copy Editors; Shashi Devi, Proof Reader in shaping the book. The efforts of the
Publication Department, NCERT in bringing out this publication are also appreciated.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
2019-20

Going to School
3
Cement BridgeCement BridgeCement BridgeCement BridgeCement Bridge
We often need to go
across some water
bodies, so we use
bridges. These are
made of cement,
bricks and iron rods.
The bridge may also
have steps.
ÖÖÖÖÖ How is this bridge different from a bamboo bridge?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many people do you think can cross the bridge at one time?
You have seen how children use different kind of bridges, to
cross rivers and other uneven areas to reach school.
ÖÖÖÖÖ If you had a chance, which bridge would you like to use? Why?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you have to cross any bridge on the way to your school? If
yes, what is the bridge like? Draw its picture.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out from your grandparents, what kinds of bridges were
there when they were young.
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18. Too Much Water,
Too Little Water 146
19. Abdul in the Garden 158
20. Eating Together 166
21. Food and Fun 174
22. The World in my Home 179
23. Pochampalli 186
24. Home and Abroad 191
25. Spicy Riddles 199
26. Defence Officer: Wahida 204
27. Chuskit Goes to School 210
xii
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Let us meet some children and see how they reach school.
Bamboo BridgeBamboo BridgeBamboo BridgeBamboo BridgeBamboo Bridge
It rains so much where we live.
Sometimes after the rain, there
is knee-high water everywhere.
But that does not stop us from
getting to school. We hold our
books in one hand and bamboo
with the other. We quickly cross
the bamboo and rope bridge to
reach school.
Try these
ÖÖÖÖÖ Collect some bricks. Lay them
on the ground in a line as
shown in the picture. Try
walking on them. Was it easy ?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Make a small bridge by tying
4 or 5 bamboo poles together.
Ask your teacher to help you.
Now walk on your bridge.
How did you feel? Did you fall
down? If you walk like this a
few times, you will start
finding it easy.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you think it would be
easier to walk on this
bridge barefoot or with
shoes or slippers ? Why ?
Assam
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Going to School
9
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you think that such places have snow all the time? Why?
Rocky PathsRocky PathsRocky PathsRocky PathsRocky Paths
We live in the mountains.
The paths are rocky and
uneven. The children
who live in the plains will
find it difficult to walk on
these. But we can easily
race up and down.
No matter whether there is a dense forest, farms, mountains or
snow on the way, we manage to reach school.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you face difficulties on the way to your school?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which is the best month, in which you like to go to school? Why?
See Me Walk!See Me Walk!See Me Walk!See Me Walk!See Me Walk!
ÖÖÖÖÖ Go to a ground or an open space with your friends. Act the
way you will walk in these situations.
ÖÖÖÖÖ The ground is made of soft and smooth rose petals.
ÖÖÖÖÖ The ground is covered with thorns and there is tall grass on
the sides.
ÖÖÖÖÖ The ground is covered with snow.
Was there a difference in the way you walked each time? Discuss.
Uttarakhand
For the teacher: Discuss different modes that children use to
come to school. Help them identify the possible dangers and
discuss the safety aspects. You may discuss with them
environment friendly ways of travelling.
2019-20

Looking Around
4
Is there any bridge near your house? Find out more about
the bridge.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Where is the bridge – over water, over a road, between two
mountains or somewhere else?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Who all use the bridge? Is it used by people on foot and also
by vehicles and animals?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does the bridge seem to be old or is it new?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out what materials are used in making this bridge. List
some of them.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw a picture of the bridge in your notebook. Do not forget to
draw the train, vehicles, animals or people who cross the bridge.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Imagine what difficulties there would be, if the bridge was
not there?
Let us find out some other ways by which children get to school.
VallamVallamVallamVallamVallam
In some parts of Kerala, we
use a vallam (small wooden
boat) to reach school.
Kerala
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Ear to Ear
13
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out some other animals which have ears that we can
not see. Write their names.
Read and WriteRead and WriteRead and WriteRead and WriteRead and Write
ÖÖÖÖÖ An animal with ears like fans
ÖÖÖÖÖ An animal with ears like leaves
ÖÖÖÖÖ An animal with ears on the top
of its head
ÖÖÖÖÖ An animal with ears on both
sides of its head
You know very well that ears
help us to hear. In some animals
you can see the ears, in some you
can not. We can not see a bird’s
ears. A bird has tiny holes on both
sides of its head. Generally, the
holes are covered with feathers.
They help the bird to hear.
If you look carefully, you will
see tiny holes on a lizard’s head.
These are its ears.
A crocodile also has ears like this, but we can not see
them easily.
Whose SkinWhose SkinWhose SkinWhose SkinWhose Skin
Now you know how to recognise animals by their ears. Let us
see if we can recognise animals by their skin.
2019-20

Looking Around
6
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you have bullock-carts where you live?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does it have a roof?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kind of wheels do they have?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Make a drawing of the cart in your notebook.
Bicycle rideBicycle rideBicycle rideBicycle rideBicycle ride
We ride our bicycles
on the long road to
school. At first, girls
here did not go to
school, because it
was too far. But now
groups of 7-8 girls
easily ride even
through the
difficult roads.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you ride a bicycle? If yes, who taught you to ride?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many children come on bicycles to your school?
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Going to School
7
JugaJugaJugaJugaJugaddddd - What a Vehicle!- What a Vehicle!- What a Vehicle!- What a Vehicle!- What a Vehicle!
Look at our special
transport. It sounds
phut-phut-phut
when it runs. Is it
not something
special! The front
looks like a
motorcycle but the
carriage at the back
is made out of
planks of wood.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you have such vehicles in your area?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What do you call them in your area?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Would you like to ride in something like this? Why?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you tell why it is called jugad?
ÖÖÖÖÖ The jugad has been made by using waste material. Why don’t
you also try to make something by putting together some waste
material?
Can you think of a place where none of these vehicles can
reach? Yes, there are such places!
Gujarat
2019-20

Looking Around
8
Children cross the JungleChildren cross the JungleChildren cross the JungleChildren cross the JungleChildren cross the Jungle
We have to go through a thick forest
to reach school. At some places, it is
so thick that even sunlight does not
pass through. It is also very silent
there, you can only hear the sounds
of different birds and other creatures.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever been in a thick
jungle or any such place?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Write your experiences in your
notebook.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you recognise some birds by
their sounds? Can you imitate the
sounds of some birds? Do it.
Moving on the SnowMoving on the SnowMoving on the SnowMoving on the SnowMoving on the Snow
See, how we reach school! We go to
school through miles of snow. We
hold hands and walk carefully. If the
snow is soft, our feet sink into it.
When the snow is frozen, we may slip
and fall.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever seen so much
snow? Where? In films or
somewhere else?
Northern Hills
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Looking Around
10
From Children’s PenFrom Children’s PenFrom Children’s PenFrom Children’s PenFrom Children’s Pen
Failed in the test – 30 rulers
Fooled around in the test – 15 rulers
Homework not done? – 8 rulers
Nails, teeth, dress not clean – 30 sit ups
Having fun in class when teacher is out – Stand on one leg for two
hours.
Not back in class after the recess – Stand on the bench with your hands
up in the air for one hour.
– Sagar Mishra, Class V
Chakmak, August 2006
Devas, Madhya Pradesh
Talk and share about it
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you also have punishment in your school? What kind?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you think that punishment should not be there in schools?
ÖÖÖÖÖ If you come across any such incident, whom will you inform?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How will you make a complaint?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Is punishment the only solution to misdeeds? Make some
rules for school to prevent misdeeds.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw a picture of your ‘dream school’ in your notebook and
write about it and share in the class.
For the teacher: The purpose behind giving this column is to
totally discourage punishments in schools. Discuss this issue
sensitively in the class. Encourage the students for self discipline.
NO PUNISHMENTS
2019-20

Who has got my ears?Who has got my ears?Who has got my ears?Who has got my ears?Who has got my ears?
Animal Ear Animal Ear
Elephant Mouse Dog
Rabbit Buffalo
Mouse Deer
Giraffe
Are these animals looking funny? The artist has drawn wrong ears on
the heads of the animals. Give correct ears to the animals in the space
given below.
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Looking Around
12
ÖÖÖÖÖ Different animals have different kinds of ears. Among the animals
given below, which one have ears that you can see? In which
animal can you not see the ears? Write in the table below.
Deer Frog Fish Ant Crow
Tiger Sparrow Buffalo Snake Lizard
Pig Duck Giraffe Elephant Cat
Do you think that the animals whose ears we can not see,
really do not have ears?
Let us observe this picture.Let us observe this picture.Let us observe this picture.Let us observe this picture.Let us observe this picture.
Animals whose ears weAnimals whose ears weAnimals whose ears weAnimals whose ears weAnimals whose ears we
can seecan seecan seecan seecan see
Animals whose ears weAnimals whose ears weAnimals whose ears weAnimals whose ears weAnimals whose ears we
can not seecan not seecan not seecan not seecan not see
Name the animals in the pictures.
Can you see their ears?
They all have ears, even though we can not see them.
2019-20

Looking Around
14
The different patterns on the animals are due to the hair on
their skin.
Have you ever seen an animal without hair or whose hair
have been removed? Imagine how the animal would look if it
did not have any hair on its skin. There would be no patterns!
Match the animals shown here with the pictures of their skin.
Make the correct pattern of the skin on the picture of each animal.
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Ear to Ear
15
In which list did you put the cow and the buffalo? From a
distance, can you see the hair on their skin? Try to go near one
of them. Could you see the hair?
If you were to meet an elephant, would you dare to touch it?
Do you know that an elephant also has hair on its skin.
For the Teacher: Discuss more details of mentioned animals in this
chapter such as their food habits, habitats, etc. Develop sensitivity
towards animals.
You might have seen some of the animals given below.
Fox Elephant Sparrow Pigeon
Frog Crow Peacock Pig
Mouse Cat Buffalo Duck
Hen Camel Lizard Cow
Put the names of the animals in the table below.
Ears can be Has hair Ears can not Has feathers
seen on skin be seen on skin
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Looking Around
16
Can you tell which of the
animals mentioned in the list
lay eggs? Find out and write the
names of these animals in the
green box.
Which of the animals in the list give birth to babies? Write
their names in the red box.
Now, look again at the table on the previous page. Draw a
line under the names of animals whose names are in the green
box. Put a circle around the names of those animals whose
names are in the red box.
So, what did you note? Those animals whose ears you can
see have hair on their body. These animals give birth to the
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Ear to Ear
17
young ones. Those animals that do not have ears on the outside,
do not have hair on their body. These animals lay eggs.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you seen animals around your house or school that
have small babies? Write their names in your notebook.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever kept a pet? Does anyone you know keep a pet?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out more about the pet.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which animal is it?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does it have a name? What is it?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Who gave it this name?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What does it like to eat?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many times a day is it given food?
ÖÖÖÖÖ When does it sleep? For how long does it sleep?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Is there any special way to look after this animal? How ?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does it get angry? When? How do you know it is angry ?
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Looking Around
18
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does it have hair or feathers on its skin?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you see its ears?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Is it a baby or a young animal or a full grown animal?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Will this pet animal lay eggs or give birth to babies?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does it have young ones?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw a picture of this animal and colour it. Give it a name
of your own choice.
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Ear to Ear
19
ÖÖÖÖÖ Look at this picture. Colour the parts which have even
numbers (2, 4, 6, 8…). What do you see? Find out the name
of the animal.
Many many years ago there were dinosaurs on earth, but
not any more. Now we see them in films, photos and books.
Find out more about dinosaurs and share with your friends.
Have you seen any animal that looks a little
like dinosaur ? Do you know its name?
Find out from your elders.
For the teacher: Chidren may name many different animals that they
think resemble the dinosaur. All answers are acceptable. You can create
and organise more such activities in the class.
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Looking Around
20
ÖÖÖÖÖ Look at this animal. Write its name.
Do you know that this is our National
Animal?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Where does it live?
The numbers of this animal are going
down in India. Discuss why this could
be happening ?
Make Your Own BirdMake Your Own BirdMake Your Own BirdMake Your Own BirdMake Your Own Bird
For the teacher: For making the paper bird it will be useful if the paper
has different colours on both sides.
2019-20

Nandu Wakes UpNandu Wakes UpNandu Wakes UpNandu Wakes UpNandu Wakes Up
Nandu woke up and opened his eyes. For a few seconds he was
not sure where he was. It seemed to him that he was surrounded
by a forest of big grey tree trunks. He blinked his eyes and looked
around. Oh! There was Amma.
The grey forest that he had imagined he was in, was actually
the legs and trunks of his family members.
The sun was overhead and it
was getting hot. Nani ma
trumpetted – made a loud
sound. Nani ma is the oldest in
this herd of elephants. She
started moving towards the
jungle. The other female
elephants saw her and started
to follow her. Nandu also went
with them.
For the teacher: Mother’s mother is called nani ma. Ask children what they call
their mother’s mother.
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22
Looking Around
When they reached the jungle, the members of the herd
started spreading out. Each member went to eat her favourite
leaves and twigs. After they had eaten, the herd moved towards
the river. The baby elephants enjoyed playing in the water. The
mothers lay down in the water and mud on the river bank.
Findout
ÖÖÖÖÖ Nandu is only three months old, but he weighs 200 kilograms.
What is your weight?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you find out – the weight of how many children like you
will add up to Nandu’s weight?
Do you know that an adult elephant can eat more than 100
kilograms of leaves and twigs in one day? Elephants do not
rest very much. They sleep for only two to four hours in a
day. Elephants love to play with mud and water. The mud
keeps their skin cool. Their big ears also work like fans. The
elephants flap these to keep themselves cool.
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23
A Day with Nandu
Fun and GamesFun and GamesFun and GamesFun and GamesFun and Games
Nandu saw his brothers and sisters pulling each other’s tails.
He thought, “I better not go near them. What if they fall on me?
I am still small.” He quietly went and stood near his mother.
Amma gently pushed Nandu towards the water, as if she was
telling him to go and play. Nandu loved to play in the water. His
cousins were already there. Just as he reached near, a strong
fountain of water fell on his head. He got wet. Oh, this was the
work of his naughty cousins. Nandu joined them in the game.
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24
Looking Around
Before sunset, the herd started back towards the jungle. By
then, Nandu was very tired. He settled himself between his
mother’s front legs and fell asleep as he drank her milk.
Like elephants, some other animals also live together in
groups. These animal groups are called herds. Animals in herds
usually move around together, searching for food.
ÖÖÖÖÖ If you were Nandu, and you lived in a herd, what kind of
things would you do?
ÖÖÖÖÖ In the elephant herd, the oldest female elephant decides
everything. Who takes decisions in your family?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Make a collage of a herd of elephants in your notebook. For
this, collect as many pictures of elephants that you can. Cut
out the elephants and stick them in the notebook.
You have read about Nandu and the elephant herd. An
elephant herd has mainly females and baby elephants. The
oldest female is the leader of the herd. A herd may have 10
to 12 female elephants and young ones. Male elephants live
in the herd till they are 14 –15 years old. Then they leave
their herd and move around alone. Nandu will also leave
his herd when he is that old.
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25
A Day with Nandu
ÖÖÖÖÖ Nandu did things that he liked to do. If you could spend a
whole day with your friends, what all would you do?
ÖÖÖÖÖ
ÖÖÖÖÖ
ÖÖÖÖÖ
ÖÖÖÖÖ
ÖÖÖÖÖ
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out and write, which other animals live in herds.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you also live in a group? Do you like to live together like
that? Why would you like or not like to live in a group?
Why I would likeWhy I would likeWhy I would likeWhy I would likeWhy I would like Why I would not likeWhy I would not likeWhy I would not likeWhy I would not likeWhy I would not like
ÖÖÖÖÖ How do elephants feel when they kept in chains? Discuss
and share your feelings.
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26
Looking Around
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever taken a ride on an elephant? How did it feel?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which animals have you sat on? Write their names.
ÖÖÖÖÖ You must have seen many animals around you – in books, in
movies. Some may be alone, some in groups. Find out more about
any one of these animals and write about it.
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27
A Day with Nandu
Think aThink aThink aThink aThink and Writend Writend Writend Writend Write
Why do you think the egret is sitting on
the buffalo?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you seen any animal riding on
another animal? Write its name.
ÖÖÖÖÖ The animal which is riding.
ÖÖÖÖÖ The animal which gives the ride.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which animals do we use for riding?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which animals do we use for carrying loads?
Make Your Own ElephantMake Your Own ElephantMake Your Own ElephantMake Your Own ElephantMake Your Own Elephant
ÖÖÖÖÖ Copy the drawing of the elephant given on the next page in
a bigger size on a thick sheet of paper.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Make small cuts where it says “cut” (£)in the picture. Be
careful not to cut off the part.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Fold along the dotted lines [……….]
ÖÖÖÖÖ Fold the part with [////////] pattern and push them
underneath.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Cut out the tail and stick it on.
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28
Looking Around
Your elephant is ready.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Colour and decorate it.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Put up an exhibition in class of all the paper-elephants
that you have made.
Tail
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29
A Day with Nandu
What do They Say?What do They Say?What do They Say?What do They Say?What do They Say?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Look at these pictures and read what these animals are sharing
with their friends. Discuss these narratives sensitively in the class.
You see me in
circus – dancing
and jumping
They make us
dance and dance
and dance. Even if
we don’t want to,
or we are in pain.
That too, with an
empty stomach!
The basket is the only
home I have. I have
forgotten what it is like in
the open jungle and fresh
air. For me it is only the
basket and the snake
charmer!
You have only
seen how fast I
run. Have you
seen my ‘shoes’?
Do you know
how much pain I
get when they fix
the horseshoes
to my hooves?
Gurtargoo! Gurtargoo!
Do you know people
specially call out to me
to feed me with grain.
Meow! Meow! Meow!
I can just roam
around everywhere.
Children love me a
lot. They pat me and
also give me milk.
through rings of fire. You
clap and enjoy. Do you
think that I also enjoy all
this? If I do not do this I
will get no food, only get a
beating!
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30
Looking Around
Discuss
ÖÖÖÖÖ You have read what these animals say. Why do you think
that some of them are sad?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How do you think they are different – the monkeys that
dance to entertain people and the monkeys that are free?
How many legs does this elephant havHow many legs does this elephant havHow many legs does this elephant havHow many legs does this elephant havHow many legs does this elephant haveeeee?????
Doyouknow?
Elephants help each other when in trouble. They join
together to care for and rescue their young ones.
2019-20

This is a true story from long long ago. Almost three hundred
years ago, in a village called Khejadli, lived Amrita. Khejadli village
is near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The village got its name because of
the many Khejadi trees that grew there.
The people of this village took great care of the plants, trees
and animals. Goats, deer, hares and peacocks roamed fearlessly
there. The people of the village remembered what their elders
used to tell them. They used to say, “Agar perh hain to hum hain.
Plants and animals can survive without us, but we can not survive
without them.”
For the teacher: Encourage children to locate Rajasthan on the map
of India.
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Looking Around
32
Amrita’s FriendsAmrita’s FriendsAmrita’s FriendsAmrita’s FriendsAmrita’s Friends
Amrita would get up early every morning and greet her friends
– the trees. She would choose a special tree for the day. She
would put her arms around the tree trunk and whisper to the
tree, “Friend, you are strong and beautiful. You care for us.
Thank you tree. I love you very much. Give your strength to me
also.”
Like Amrita, the other children also had their special trees.
They would play for hours in the shade of the trees.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Is there a place near your house, school or along the road
side, where trees have been planted?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why were they planted there?
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The Story of Amrita
33
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you seen anyone taking care of the trees? Who does
this?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you seen fruits on any of the tree? Who eats these
fruits?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Lalita feels that grass and small plants growing near her
school wall have not been planted by anyone. Do you know
of any place where grass, small plants or trees are growing
on their own without being planted by anyone?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why do you feel they are growing on their own?
Trees in DangerTrees in DangerTrees in DangerTrees in DangerTrees in Danger
Time went by. Amrita was
now grown up. One day she
went to greet her trees. She
saw that there were some
strangers in her village. They
had axes with them. They
said that the King had sent
them to cut trees for wood.
The wood was needed for
building the King’s palace.
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Looking Around
34
Amrita was shocked. She
went to the tree that the
men were about to cut. She
put her arms around the
tree and hugged it tightly.
The men shouted and
threatened her, but Amrita
did not let go of the tree.
The King’s men had to follow
his order. They had to cut the tree. On seeing this, Amrita’s
daughters and hundreds of
villagers – old and young –
hugged the trees to protect
them. Many people including
Amrita and her daughters
died to save the trees.
When the King heard of
this, he could not believe
that people gave up their life
for trees. He visited the village himself. There he learned
about villagers’ respect for trees and animals.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you remember what the elders of this village used to say?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you think we could survive if there were no trees and no
animals? Discuss this in your class.
The Village is ProtectedThe Village is ProtectedThe Village is ProtectedThe Village is ProtectedThe Village is Protected
The villagers’ strong feelings for trees affected the King greatly. He
ordered that from then on, no tree would be cut and no animal
would be harmed in that area. Even today, almost three hundred
years later, the people of this area, called Bishnois, continue to
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The Story of Amrita
35
protect plants and animals. Even though in the middle of the
desert, this area is green and animals roam freely without fear.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you remember that in Class III, you had made a tree your
friend? How is your friend now?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why don’t you make a new friend this year? Have you
seen how your friends–the trees, change in some ways,
in different months of a year.
Write about any one tree.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does the tree flower ?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do the flowers remain on the tree throughout the year ?
ÖÖÖÖÖ In which month do their leaves fall?
2019-20

From the Window
59
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out in which states these languages are spoken?
Language Where it is spoken (State)
Malayalam
Konkani
Marathi
Gujarati
Kannada
17 May
Now it is night. We have also started
packing up. The train will reach
Kottayam in about three hours.
That is where we have to get off.
Tonight we will go to Valiyamma’s house. Tomorrow, we
will take the bus that will take us to Ammumma’s village. We
all are quite tired. After all, we have been on the train for two
days. What a long journey it has been! We had a lot of fun. I
will put my diary away now. I will write again after we reach
Ammumma’s house.
ÖÖÖÖÖ What do you call them?
Your mother’s sister
Your mother’s mother
Your father’s sister
Your father’s mother
For the teacher: Help the children to find out about the different states,
languages, clothes, food and landforms. Mother’s elder sister is called
Valiyamma and mother’s mother is Ammumma in Malayalam.
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The Story of Amrita
37
ÖÖÖÖÖ Shanti’s grandfather told her that when he was a small
child he saw more birds like sparrows and mynah than
he sees today. Can you make two guesses why their
numbers have become less?
The Khejadi tree was the most common tree that grew in
Amrita’s village. Which kind of trees can you see a lot of, in your
area? Name two such trees.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out more about these trees from your elders.
The Khejadi tree is found mainly in desert areas. It can
grow without much water. Its bark is used for making
medicines. People cook and eat its fruits (beans). Its wood
is such that it will not be affected by insects. Animals in
this area eat the leaves of the Khejadi. And children like
you, play in its shade.
For the teacher: Encourage children to ask their elders about
animals and insects. Discuss with the children about the reducing
number of birds due to changes in the environment.
2019-20

My name is Anita Khushwaha. I live in Bochaha village. This is
in Muzzafarpur district in Bihar. I stay with my parents and two
younger brothers. I study in college. Besides studying, I teach
young children. I also keep honeybees.
All this has not been easy for me. When I was young, I used
to spend all my time with my goats as they grazed for food. I
always wanted to go to school but my parents did not like the
idea of girls going to school.
* This is a true story. Anita Khushwaha is a ‘Girl Star’. ‘Girl Stars’ is a project
which tells extraordinary tales of ordinary girls who have changed their life
by going to school.
* Encourage children to locate Bihar on the map of India, given on the last
page of the book.
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39
Anita and the Honeybees
A Dream of SchoolA Dream of SchoolA Dream of SchoolA Dream of SchoolA Dream of School
One day I peeped into the school in
our village. I could not stay away. I
silently went and sat down behind
the children. I felt so happy. I went
home and picked up courage to
talk to my parents about going to
school. But they told me clearly that I could not
do so. That day, I cried and cried.
One of the teachers in my village explained to my parents why
it is important to study. The teacher told them that they would not
have to pay anything for my education upto Class VIII. The teacher
said that it was the right of every child to go to school. Somehow
my parents agreed. I started going to school. I did not get high
marks, but I always asked many questions!
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out how much money do you spend in one year for
various school related things.
Things Money Spent
1. Travel to school and back
2. Notebooks
3. Pens-Pencils/Stationery
4. Uniforms
5. School bag
6. Lunch Box
7. Shoes
8. Other Things (i)
(ii)
Total
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Looking Around
40
One Sweet Memory
I remember some older boys in my
village also used to teach young
children. They did not like it when I
started teaching. They started to
scold and scare the children, so that
they would not come to me. For some
time, all the children except two,
stopped coming to me. But soon they
all came back because I used to teach
them with love and care.
ÖÖÖÖÖ How much money did you spend on your books this year?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kind of a school uniform would you like to wear? Draw
a picture of it in your notebook and colour it.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Make two groups in the class. Debate the topic – ‘We should
have uniforms in school.’
Staying in SchoolStaying in SchoolStaying in SchoolStaying in SchoolStaying in School
Time passed, and soon I completed Class V. I knew that we
would need to spend more in Class VI. My parents said that it
was time for me to leave school, but I wanted to study more. I
found a way to do this. I started to teach younger children.
From the money that I got, I was able to continue my own studies.
Let us talk
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you know someone who wanted to study, but could not
do so? Talk about them in the class.
For the teacher: Explain the meaning of term ‘debate’ to children. Debate
helps children look at any issue from different angles. Encourage children
to give their opinions in class.
2019-20

41
ÖÖÖÖÖ Every child has a right to free education upto Class VIII. Do you
think that all children are able to study up to Class VIII? Discuss.
A Secret
I learnt how to ride a motor-
cycle. I did not tell anyone. I
fell down and got hurt many
times, but I was happy!
Do you know?
What is RTE-Act 2009?
This provides the right of free
and compulsory education to
each child aged 6 to 14 years.
Slowly I started talking to other
parents in the village about sending
their daughters to school. My
parents also started helping me in
my work. My mother used to do all
the house work so that I could get
more time to study.
From School to Bee-keepingFrom School to Bee-keepingFrom School to Bee-keepingFrom School to Bee-keepingFrom School to Bee-keeping
There are many litchi trees in our area. Honeybees are attracted
to the litchi flowers. Many people do bee-keeping and collect
honey. I thought that I could also do this. I joined a course run
by the government to learn about this. I was the only girl in this
course. During my training I found that honeybees lay their
eggs from October to December. This was the best time to start
bee-keeping.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you seen any insects near flowers? Find out their names
and write.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw and colour their pictures in the notebook.
For the teacher: Find out different schemes available for education of girl
child. Further help them identify opportunities for skill development.
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Looking Around
42
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why do you think they come to the flowers? Find out.
ÖÖÖÖÖ When honeybees fly, there is a kind of sound. Can you try to
copy this sound?
Becoming a Bee-keeperBecoming a Bee-keeperBecoming a Bee-keeperBecoming a Bee-keeperBecoming a Bee-keeper
I completed my bee-keeping course. But I did not have money to
keep my own bees and start work. I continued to teach and with
time could collect `5000. With this money, I bought two boxes
for keeping bees. Each box costs `2000. With the remaining
money, I bought sugar to make the syrup for honeybees, and
medicines to clean the beehives.
42
2019-20

43
That was in September. By December, I had so many bees
that I had to buy two more boxes. I was still learning about
bee-keeping. Many times, the bees would sting me and my hands
and face would get swollen. It would pain a lot. How could I
complain to anybody? I myself had decided to do this work.
Find out
ÖÖÖÖÖ What do people in your area put on the part of the body
where the bee has stung?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw a picture of a honeybee in your notebook. Colour it and
give it a name.
The litchi trees come to flower in February. I put all my four
boxes near the litchi orchards. I got 12 kilograms of honey from
each box. I sold this honey in the market. This was my first
earning from my bees. Now I have 20 boxes.
ÖÖÖÖÖ What will be the total cost of Anita’s 20 boxes?
Every day I cycle to my
college. My college is in
the town, five kilometres
away. When I go to
college, my mother
prepares the syrup for
the bees. My father
looks after the bees
and takes the honey
out of the boxes.
Now you also know
a lot about Anita.
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Looking Around
44
Anita is known by
everyone in all the villages
nearby. She goes to all
the village meetings and
talks about how
important it is for
everyone to study.
Sometimes people make
fun of her, but Anita
knows what she wants
to do. She does exactly what she wants to.
Anita wants to become a wholesaler so that she can help the
villagers to get the right price for their honey.
Find out
ÖÖÖÖÖ Anita and others in her village get Rs.35 for one kilogram of
honey. How much does one kilogram of honey cost in your
town?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What are the different colours of honey that you have seen?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Is honey used in your house? What is it used for?
Every beehive has one Queen Bee that lays eggs. There are
only a few males in the hive. Most of the bees in the hive are
worker-bees. These bees work all day. They make the hive and
For the teacher: Explain the role of wholesaler to children.
2019-20

45
also look after the baby
bees. They fly around
flowers in search of nectar.
They collect nectar from
flowers for honey. When
one bee finds flowers with
nectar, it does a special
kind of dance by which the
other bees can know where
the nectar is. The worker-
bees are very important for the hive. Without worker-bees there
would be neither hive nor any nectar collection. All bees in the
hive would go hungry. The male bees have no special role as
workers.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which are some other insects that live together in a group,
like honeybees?
Ants live and work together like honeybees. The Queen Ant
lays the eggs, the Soldier Ants look after and guard the ants’
nest, Worker Ants are always busy looking for food and bringing
it to the nest. Termites and wasps also live like this.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you seen where ants live?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kind of eatables attract ants? List them.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Look at a line of ants. What is its colour?
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Looking Around
46
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you been bitten by an ant? What was the ant
like – black or red, big or small?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do ants ever come near you? When?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Look carefully at some big and small ants. How many legs
does an ant have?
Big ant
Small ant
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw an ant in your notebook and colour it.
ÖÖÖÖÖ While eating peanuts you probably throw away the shells.
Why don’t you try to make some insects by using the
shells. Do not forget to colour them.
Web link to Anita’s Story–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtviVVIDQYWA
2019-20

Looking Around
48
Omana’s DiaryOmana’s DiaryOmana’s DiaryOmana’s DiaryOmana’s Diary
16 May
As soon as we
had reached the station we
checked our names on the
reservation chart. Soon the
train reached the platform. We
saw that the coach was
already full. The train had
started early in the morning
from Gandhidham, in Kutch.
When the train came, there was so much
confusion. People were getting off and others were pushing and
trying to put their luggage inside, all from one door.
We somehow managed to get in, find our seats and put our
luggage under them. By the time the train started, most people
had found their seats and arranged their luggage. After some
time the ticket
collector came and
checked our tickets
to see that we were
in our proper seats.
Amma and Appa
had the lower
berths. Unni and I
have the middle
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Omana’s Journey
49
berths. There are two college students who have the upper berths.
On the other berths, there is a family with two children. They
seem to be about our age. I will go and talk to them later.
Now I am sitting near the window and I have started writing
about our journey, just as I had promised you. I will stop now
because Amma has opened the tiffin box. Amma had packed a lot
of food – dhokla with chutney, lemon rice, and some mithai. My
mouth is watering. I will write more later.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why was it so crowded at the door of the coach?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever travelled in a train? When?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What food would you like to take with you when you travel?
Why?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What does the ticket-checker do?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How will you recognise the ticket-checker?
2019-20

Looking Around
50
16 May
After lunch some people slept.
But I was not sleepy. I kept
looking out of the window. I saw
many fields, but they all were
brown and dry. Sometimes we
passed small villages. They
seemed to be flying by. Do you know that when the train is
at a very high speed
things outside seem to
be running in the
opposite direction?
Earlier it was really
hot. Now that it is
evening, there is some
breeze.
The sun is slowly
setting and the sky has become orange. I
have never seen it look like this in Ahmedabad.
We have just passed a station called Valsad. The train
stopped for only
two minutes, but
even for the short
time, there was so
m u c h n o i s e .
“Chai! garam ,
chai!” one man
w a s c a l l i n g ,
“batata vada !
batata vada !
2019-20

Omana’s Journey
51
puri-shaak!, doodh-thanda-doodh!.” People were selling and
buying food on the platform. We quickly bought some bananas
and chikoos through the window itself.
ÖÖÖÖÖ What did Omana see from the window?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What are some of the things that are sold at Railway
stations?
16 May
For the teacher: Gandhidham, Ahmedabad and Valsad are in Gujarat.
Kozhikode is in Kerala. Show these states to the children on the map to
help them realise what a long journey it is.
I have made some friends. They
are Sunil and Ann. They are going
to their grandmother’s house in
Kozhikode. Sunil has given me some
story books to read.
A little while ago, I
went to brush my teeth,
but there was no water
in the bathroom.
Somebody said that it
will only be filled at the
next big station.
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Looking Around
52
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why do you think there was no water in the bathroom of
the train? Discuss.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Imagine that you are going on a long train journey. What
are the things that you will take with you to help pass the
time?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you recognise who are these people shown in the
picture? What work do they do? Discuss.
For the teacher: Discuss the ways of booking a railway ticket from ticket
counters at railway station and also online.
http://www.coms.indianrailways.gov.in/criscm/home.seam
7 1
2
6
5
3
4
2019-20

17 May
It is morning now. Last night I went
to sleep early. It was too dark to see
anything outside. When the train
stopped early this morning, I woke
up. It was Madgaon. That was written
on the board at the platform. Appa
said that we were going through the
state of Goa.
We got off at the station and had some hot tea and filled our
water bottles. The train
started again. I find it
difficult to describe the
scene outside. It is so
beautiful. It is green
everywhere – fields with
red soil and green crops,
hills covered with trees.
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Looking Around
54
Sometimes, I can see small ponds, and far away, behind the
hills, more water. I can’t make out if it is a river or the sea. The air
is cooler, and not so dry as in Ahmedabad.
The train passed
a ‘level crossing’.
People are waiting
on both the sides of
the crossing for the
train to pass. There
are buses full of
people, cars, trucks,
a u t o r i c k s h a w s ,
cycles, motor cycles,
scooters and even
tongas and bullock-
carts with people
and goods in them. Some people do not switch off the engines
of their vehicle even while waiting at the level crossing. There
is a lot of smoke and noise. I see some people going under the
bars of the level crossing. How dangerous this is!
At times our train crosses another train. Unni and I tried to
count the carriages in one such train, but both the trains were
going so fast. We always got confused.
ÖÖÖÖÖ What was the difference in the scene that Omana saw from
the train on the first day and on the second day?
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From the Window
55
ÖÖÖÖÖ Omana saw many kinds of vehicles at the level-crossing.
Which of them run on diesel or petrol?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why was there so much smoke and noise from the vehicles
at the level crossing?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What can we do to reduce noise of the vehicle and save petrol
and diesel? Discuss.
Discuss
Sometimes people cross the tracks even when the crossing is
closed. What do you feel about this?
Later, I was sitting near the window
with my eyes closed. Suddenly the
sound of the moving train changed
– khud, khud, khud… I opened my
eyes. Guess what I saw? Our train
was crossing a very big river, on a
very long bridge! As it was crossing the bridge it sounded very
different. The wheels rattled as there was no ground, only the
tracks, and the water down below. When I first looked down, I
felt giddy. It was really quite scary! The river down below was
full of water and had some boats. I could also see some fishermen
17 May
2019-20

Looking Around
56
on the banks. I
waved at them, but
I did not know if
they could see me.
Alongside our
bridge, there was
another bridge for
buses and cars.
This was built
differently from
ours. I think going
over our bridge was
more adventurous!
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you seen any bridges? Where?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever crossed a bridge? Where?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What was the bridge built over?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What did you see below the bridge?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out why bridges are made.
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From the Window
57
17 May
everything became dark. It also felt a little cold inside. I was
afraid. Then the lights in the train came on. But outside, it was
very dark. Somebody said, “We have entered a tunnel. This
goes right through the mountain.” The tunnel seemed to go on
and on. And then, just as
suddenly, we were in
daylight again. Outside it
was sunny, bright and
green. The train had crossed
the tunnel. Appa explained
that we were on the other
side of the mountain. Since
then, we have passed
through four smaller
tunnels. Now I am enjoying
going through the tunnels.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever been through a tunnel? How did you feel?
ÖÖÖÖÖ The route from Goa to Kerala has a total of 2000 bridges and
92 tunnels! Why do you think there are so many bridges and
tunnels?
The last few hours have been so
exciting. After breakfast, I
climbed on to the upper berth
to read my comics. It was bright
and sunny outside. Suddenly,
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Looking Around
58
ÖÖÖÖÖ Imagine and draw in your notebook what Omana saw under
the bridge when her train crossed it?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Imagine, if on the way there had been no tunnels and bridges,
how would Omana’s train have crossed the moutains and rivers?
Now it is afternoon. For lunch we had
idli-vada that we bought from Udipi
station. We also bought some
bananas. These were very small and
very tasty. The scene outside has
changed again. Now we can see many
coconut trees, and green fields everywhere. Amma says that these
are paddy fields. The houses and villages look very different.
People’s clothes are also different from what we see in Ahmedabad.
Most people are wearing white or cream-coloured dhotis and sarees.
Many people who were with us from Ahmedabad have got off.
People have also got on to the train from different stations.
Sunil’s family is getting off at Kozhikode, which comes at
around 6 O’clock. We have exchanged addresses and plan to
meet in Ahmedabad. You will also like Sunil and Ann.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which languages do you speak at home?
ÖÖÖÖÖ On the way from Gujarat to Kerala Omana’s train went through
severalstatesofourcountry.Findoutandlistwhichstatesitcrossed.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Did you ever have coconut water? How did you find it? Discuss.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw a coconut tree and discuss in the class about it.
17 May
2019-20

17 May Night
After our long train journey
we reached Kottayam in
the night. Valiyamma’s
house was not far from the
station and we had to take
two auto-rickshaws to get
there. By then I was very
sleepy and did not even
wait to eat anything. I took
a bath and slept. I thought,
I had just fallen asleep when
Amma woke me up again.
We got ready, took our
luggage and went to the bus
stand. Valiyamma’s family
also came with us. We were
ten people, and had a lot of
luggage too!
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Reaching Grandmother’s House
61
The bus conductor came and Appa bought tickets for all
of us. We managed to get seats. As it went along, the bus got
very crowded. People were sharing the seats. We also had to
share our seats.
After a long ride, the bus reached the last stop, I was
happy to get off. My legs were stiff. I could hardly stand.
I thought that we had finally reached Ammumma’s village.
But no! Our travel had not ended yet. The bus had dropped
us by the water side. “Look”, Amma pointed across the
water. “That is where we have to go.” “But how will we get
there?” I wondered.
Just then I saw a boat coming. “There is the ferry,” Amma
said. Immediately a big crowd of people started getting off –
school children, men, women, all with their own packets
and luggage. Amma explained that the ferry was used by
people to cross the water and
reach the other side.
As soon as the ferry got
empty, the big rush
started from our side.
Everyone had to pay the
fare before getting on.
Very soon the ferry was
full. It started off again.
I managed to get a place to stand along
the railing. I saw the rippling of the still water as the ferry
moved. It was moving smoothly on the water. There were rows
of coconut trees on the banks of the river. As we moved
swiftly, I could see people, fishing, washing, bathing and
working along the banks.
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Looking Around
62
Just before the sun disappeared into the water, the ferry
reached the island and stopped. It was time for us to get off. At
last, we reached Ammumma’s place. What a long and interesting
journey it has been!
ÖÖÖÖÖ Omana travelled by different kinds of transport after she got
down from the train. Can you remember what these were?
ÖÖÖÖÖ On which vehicles have you travelled?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which ride did you enjoy the most? Why?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Omana left Ahmedabad on 16 May. How many hours did it
take for her to reach Ammumma’s place?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever been on a long journey? Where did you go?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Name the different kinds of transport that you used during
the journey.
For the teacher: In many parts of Kerala the ferry and other kind of
boats are commonly used to travel from one place to another. Discuss
why these are used. You can also ask children about boat rides that they
have taken.
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63
ÖÖÖÖÖ How long did your journey take?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Omana’s Appa bought tickets for the train and the bus. Can
you think of other means of transport for which we need to
buy tickets?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Sometimes we need to buy tickets to enter a place. Can you
think of such places?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Look at this picture of a railway ticket. Find the following
information on the ticket and circle them with different colours
and discuss.
ÖÖÖÖÖ The train number
ÖÖÖÖÖ The date of the start of the journey
ÖÖÖÖÖ The berth and the coach numbers
ÖÖÖÖÖ The fare (the cost of the ticket)
ÖÖÖÖÖ The distance (in km)
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Looking Around
64
Write what other information you can find out from the ticket.
ÖÖÖÖÖ
ÖÖÖÖÖ
ÖÖÖÖÖ
A railway time-table gives details about the route of every
train – the stations along the route, what time the train will
reach and leave each station, the distance covered, etc. We can
buy a railway time-table from a railway station.
Some portions of the time-table for the route of the train on
which Omana travelled are given. Look carefully at it and answer
the following questions.
16635 GANDHIDHAM NAGERCOIL EXPRESS
S.NoStation Name Arrival Departure Distance Day
Time Time (Kilometre)
1. GANDHIDHAM – 05:15 0 1
2. AHMEDABAD 11:30 11:50 301 1
3. VADODARA 14:03 14:10 401 1
4. SURAT 16:15 16:20 530 1
5. VALSAD 17:23 17:25 598 1
6. BHIWANDI ROAD 21:10 21:12 772 1
7. MADGAON 07:35 07:45 1509 2
8. UDUPI 12:06 12:18 1858 2
9. KOZHIKODE 17:45 17:50 2165 2
10. TRICHUR 21:05 21:10 2280 2
11. ERNAKULAM TOWN 22:35 22:40 2356 2
12. KOTTAYAM 23:50 23:55 2418 2
13. TRIVANDRUM CNTL 03:05 03:10 2578 3
14. NAGARCOIL 04:45 00:00 2649 3
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65
ÖÖÖÖÖ Circle the names of all the stations in the table that are
mentioned in Omana’s diary.
ÖÖÖÖÖ From which station did the train start?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many minutes did the train stop at Ahmedabad station?
ÖÖÖÖÖ On which day of the journey did the train reach Madgaon?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Sunil and Ann got off at Kozhikode station. Omana got off at
Kottayam station. How many hours does the train take to reach
Kottayam from Kozhikode?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What is the distance that the train travelled over the whole
route?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many kilometres did Omana travel by train?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Would you like to keep a diary? Take a notebook or a diary.
Every day for a week, write about what you did. Also write
your thoughts and feelings. Share your diary with your friends.
For the teacher: Try to bring a railway time-table to the class. Help the
children to learn how to read the time-table. You can use the time-table to
devise many interesting activities to teach geography, mathematics, etc.
Help Children observe their nearest railway station for the availability of
safe drinking water, cleanliners, ramps, etc.
2019-20

Here are some pictures of families. These are the families of
Nimmi, Tsering and Nazli. Let us look at these pictures, talk
about what we see and discuss.
A New Arrival!A New Arrival!A New Arrival!A New Arrival!A New Arrival!
There is great excitement in Nimmi’s family. She has a new
baby sister.
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Changing Families
67
Lookatthepicturesandwrite
ÖÖÖÖÖ Who were the members of Nimmi’s family before the
arrival of her baby sister?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many members are there in Nimmi’s family now?
Letustalk
ÖÖÖÖÖ How do you think the lives of Nimmi’s family members have
changed after the arrival of the new baby? For example –
ÖÖÖÖÖ How will Nimmi spend her day now?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What new work will her mother do now?
ÖÖÖÖÖ There will be a change in the daily work of Nimmi’s father,
grandmother and uncle with the arrival of the new baby.
Can you tell how?
For the teacher: Give an opportunity to each child to share his or her
experiences.
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Looking Around
68
ÖÖÖÖÖ Has a small brother or sister been born in your home or in
any house in your neighbourhood?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How does it feel to have a new baby at home?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How have things changed at home with the new baby?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out all about the youngest child in your home or in the
home of a relative. Then write –
ÖÖÖÖÖ When was the baby born?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Is the baby a boy or a girl?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How are you related to him or her?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Where was the baby born?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Who does the baby look like?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What is the colour of his or her hair?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What is the colour of his or her eyes?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does the baby have any teeth?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What do we feed the baby with?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What is the baby’s length?
For the teacher: Encourage children to read their birth certificates and
health cards.
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Changing Families
69
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many hours a day does the baby sleep?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What different sounds does the baby make?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Who does the baby stay with most of the time?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Stick a photograph of the baby or draw a picture in your
notebook.
New PlaceNew PlaceNew PlaceNew PlaceNew Place
Tsering’s father received a letter from his office. The letter
said that he was being promoted and would have to move to
another city.
When Tsering’s father showed the letter to his family, how
do you think the different members would have felt?
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Looking Around
70
ÖÖÖÖÖ What will change in Tsering’s family after his father’s transfer?
For example –
ÖÖÖÖÖ Who from Tsering’s family will live with his father at the
new place? Which school will Tsering go to now? Will he
have new friends?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Has anybody in your family moved to a new place because
of work?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What do you feel about this change?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Is there anyone in your class or school who has come to
your school from another place? If so, talk to him or her.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Where has she or he come from?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What was his or her old school like?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What does he or she find different here?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Does he or she like the change?
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Changing Families
71
It’s a Wedding!It’s a Wedding!It’s a Wedding!It’s a Wedding!It’s a Wedding!
There is great joy in Nazli’s home today. Her elder cousin brother
is getting married.
Letustalk
Do you think that there will be any change in Nazli’s family
after this wedding? What will change?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you think there will be changes in the home from where
the new bride has come? What kind of changes?
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Looking Around
72
ÖÖÖÖÖ Talk to your mother and aunts in the family. Ask them
about where they lived before they got married.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Who were the members in their families then?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Has anybody in your family been married recently? Who?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Talk to your classmates and write all about what happens
during weddings in their families.
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kind of special food is cooked?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What special clothes do the bride and bridegroom wear?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kinds of songs and dances are performed at weddings?
What did you see at the wedding that you attended? Draw
some pictures in your notebook. Then look at the pictures drawn
by your classmates.
We saw changes taking place in the families of Nimmi, Tsering
and Nazli because of different reasons.
Write down the reasons for these changes
ÖÖÖÖÖ In Nimmi’s family –
ÖÖÖÖÖ In Tsering’s family –
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Changing Families
73
ÖÖÖÖÖ In Nazli’s family –
ÖÖÖÖÖ There can be many reasons for changes in families. Can you
think of some more reasons?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Talk to three old people – one from your family, one from your
friend’s family and one from a family in your neighbourhood.
Ask them these questions and fill in the table.
Question Your Friend’s Neighbour’s
family family family
G Since how many
years has your family
been staying here?
G Where did your
family live before
coming here?
G How many members
are there in your
family today?
G How many members
were there in your
family 10 years ago?
For the teacher: Changes are a part of life. However, children can be deeply
affected by changes. It is important to be sensitive about this while discussing
this topic.
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Looking Around
74
G What were the reasons
for the changes in
your family in the
last 10 years?
G How do you feel about
all these changes?
G What problems do you
face with changes
in technology.
My FamilyMy FamilyMy FamilyMy FamilyMy Family – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow…– Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow…– Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow…– Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow…– Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow…
All families change in some way or the other because of different
reasons. Has your family changed too?
When your grandmother and grandfather were children like
you, was your family just like it is today?
Do you remember the picture of Sitamma’s family tree which
we saw in Class III?
ÖÖÖÖÖ You had also drawn a family tree of your own family. Let us
again draw the family tree of last year in your notebook.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Ask your grandmother or grandfather how many members
were there in their family when they were your age? Then
draw a family tree in your notebook of their family when they
were young.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you see yourself, your brother or your sister, your mother
or your father, anywhere in this family tree?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Now draw a family tree of your present family in your
notebook.
Can you see yourself anywhere in this family tree? Who are the
members of your family today? Where are your grandparents?
2019-20

Changing Families
75
Letustalk
Can you tell in what ways the family tree of your grandmother
or grandfather in their childhood is different from your family
tree today?
Going Back to SchoolGoing Back to SchoolGoing Back to SchoolGoing Back to SchoolGoing Back to School
ÖÖÖÖÖ Upto which class do you want to study?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Upto which class have your parents studied?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Till which class did your grandmother get a chance to study ?
ÖÖÖÖÖ At what age did your grandmother get married?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you heard of a Law that talks about the ages before
which girls and boys must not get married?
There are many girls who get married before they are 18
years old. Many of them have to even leave school. There are
many true stories of girls like Susheela of Ranga Reddy district
who are going back to school. She also got the help of the
Panchayat. The Panchayat said that young children should
play and study and not be married off. A group of people of
Andhra Pradesh holds special camps to help married girls to
go back to school. Jangamma and Chitti say, “We would like to
study and stand on our own feet.”
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76
Find out and writeFind out and writeFind out and writeFind out and writeFind out and write
ÖÖÖÖÖ Are there any such children in your neighbourhood who
had to drop out of school? Do they want to go back to school?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What are they doing these days?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Has anybody in your family got married recently? Who?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What was the age of bride and the groom?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kind of dresses they wore?
Bride
Groom
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kind of dishes were there? Name them.
For the teacher: Teacher can discuss about children who cannot finish
school and also the Law on Child Marriage, which has strictly fixed the
minimum age for marriage for girls at 18 and for boys at 21 years.
2019-20

Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu,
Out, out (all the girls on one side shouted loudly).
Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu (hold from here)
Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu (hold from the leg, the leg, the leg – hold her
leg).
Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu (Vasudha, you come here, you hold her from
here).
Hey! Make sure that Shyamala’s hand does not touch the line.
Hold her hand.
Hu-tu-tu, Hu-tu-tu – Oh! She has touched. She has touched it.
Out, out, out. All out. Ho, ho, ho
Your team is all out!
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78
What are these girls doing? They are shouting ‘out’,‘out’,‘out’,
it is clear that they are playing a game.
What do you call this game? Chedduguddu, Hu-tu-tu,
Choo Kit Kit, Ha-du-du or Kabaddi or something else?
When six girls surrounded Shyamala and caught her,
everyone thought that she was ‘out’. Somebody caught her legs,
and somebody her arms, while one girl caught her by the waist.
But Shyamala was not the one to give up. She dragged herself
and managed to touch the line in the centre.
When Shyamala touched the line, all the girls of the opposite
team were holding her. So all of them got ‘out’. But Rosy argued
that Shyamala had taken a breath in between, so the team was
not ‘out’. Shyamala insisted that this was not true. She said
that if she had taken a breath, why did the girls keep holding
her? There was a big argument. Finally Shyamala won.
For the teacher: Using this game, bring children’s attention to this point
that we make rules in our lives the way we do in games, so that things
can be done in a proper manner. We have differences and fights among
ourselves and we do resolve them.
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Hu tu tu, hu tu tu
79
ÖÖÖÖÖ When you play Kabaddi, how many players do you have in a
team?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many players got out when Shyamala touched the line?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you have ways to resolve disputes in games?
The Game of KabaddiThe Game of KabaddiThe Game of KabaddiThe Game of KabaddiThe Game of Kabaddi
So, this is what a game of Kabaddi is like. Pushing and pulling,
screaming and shouting, dragging and falling on the ground. It
is a rough game, yet it has many rules.
It is lots of fun, and lots of exercise. Holding your breath
while running and continuously saying Kabaddi-Kabaddi and
also trying to touch the players of the opposite team. So many
things to do in Kabaddi. You can do this as long as you can
hold your breath.
You need to use both your body and mind in this game. You
have to use your strength to pull or stop the players. At the
same time, you have to think about how to enter the other side.
You have to decide whom to touch quickly and come back. If
you get caught, then how do you reach the line in the centre.
For the teacher: You can organise a discussion on the topic that in games
also, many a times the children experience discrimination on the basis of
gender, caste and class.
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80
Next time when you play Kabaddi, focus your attention on
your legs, arms and eyes. You will notice that good coordination
is required between eyes, legs and arms.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Make a picture in your notebook to show how Shyamala
managed to get the entire opposing team ‘out’ in one go.
ÖÖÖÖÖ What does it mean to be out in games? When does one gets
‘out’ in Kabaddi?
ÖÖÖÖÖ In some games it is very important to touch the player. For
example in the game of Kho-Kho, you get ‘out’ when someone
touches you. You also get your turn by someone’s touch. Name
some games in which it is very important to touch the players?
ÖÖÖÖÖ In Kabaddi, the entire team was ‘out’, because Shyamala
had touched the line. What are some other games in which,
the central line is very important?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What are the games in which , besides the players, you have
to touch some things or colours?
G Try to hold your breath and keep saying Kabaddi- Kabaddi.
How many times could you say it?
G How many times can you say it, while you are playing
Kabaddi? Is there any difference?
For the teacher: The activity given above in the box should be done
only under the teacher’s or elder’s supervision.
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Hu tu tu, hu tu tu
81
Do you play Kabaddi? Is there a girls’
Kabaddi team in your school? Do you
think that your grandmother played
Kabaddi when they were your age? Ask
them.
Do girls in your area play
Kabaddi or any other
outdoor game? If there are
girls who do not play, then
what are the reasons for
them not playing? Discuss.
Karnam Malleshwari
Have you seen or read about her in the newspapers?
Karnam Malleshwari is a weight lifter. She lives in
Andhra Pradesh. Her father is a police constable.
Malleshwari started lifting weights when she was
12 years old. Now she can lift a weight of 130
kilograms.
Karnam has won 29 medals in international
events. Her four sisters also practise weight lifting.
A Story of Three SistersA Story of Three SistersA Story of Three SistersA Story of Three SistersA Story of Three Sisters
Look at this photograph. Don’t they look like simple
grandmothers? But they are different.
The picture is of the three sisters – Jwala, Leela and Heera.
They live in Mumbai. All three of them played Kabaddi, and
taught the game to others.
Jwala tells, “When we were
young, girls were not allowed
to play this game. People
thought that if girls played such
rough games, nobody would
marry them.” They also said
that the girls had to wear boys’
For the teacher: Help children find out the sportspersons who won
medals in Olympic games.
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82
clothes to play Kabaddi. That is why they stopped girls from
playing.
The sisters were young when their father died. Their mother
and mamas (maternal uncles) brought them up. Both uncles
used to play Kabaddi and Kho-Kho. They encouraged the three
girls to play Kabaddi.
Jwala and Leela talk about their experiences. “Almost fifty
years ago when we started to play Kabaddi, girls never got a
chance to play this game. Parents did not let them play the game.
But we always felt that we should play and my uncles and mother
supported us. We three learnt the game and some other girls
also joined us. We formed a Kabaddi Club, which is active even
today.”
Remembering Those Days!Remembering Those Days!Remembering Those Days!Remembering Those Days!Remembering Those Days!
Leela and Heera still get very excited when they talk about their
matches. They tell how they won some matches which they were
about to lose. This was possible because of their strong will.
During those matches, some very interesting things happened.
Once they had to go to a different town for a big match. Leela
tells, “The match had to start at 6.30 in the evening. We went to
see a movie from 3 to 6 o’clock. We thought we would be back in
time for the match. As soon as the movie started, we noticed
some noise and disturbance. It was created by our mama, who
was looking for us in the hall with a torch. When he found us, he
gave a big scolding right there in the cinema hall.”
For the teacher: Use these examples to draw children’s attention to
the reality that many times girls do not get equal opportunities in games.
Ask children what they call their ‘maternal uncle’.
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Hu tu tu, hu tu tu
83
The sisters had to face many difficulties because of Kabaddi
but that did not reduce their fun. Heera, the youngest sister,
became a Kabaddi coach. She wishes that children like you
should enjoy and play many games, especially Kabaddi.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you learnt any game from a coach? Which one?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do you know of anyone who has learnt any game from a coach?
Discuss
ÖÖÖÖÖ How does a coach teach? How does a coach make a player
practice? How hard do you think the players have to work?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever thought of making a club for your favourite
game?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Imagine that there are 15 children to play Kho-Kho. They
must form two teams with equal numbers (7 each). Then one
player will be left. What will you do if this happens? Have you
ever become the ‘extra person’ in the middle? Write about
this.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Every game has some rules. The game is played according to
those rules. Let us see what happens if the rules are changed.
For example – In cricket, a batsman gets ‘out’, if the bails fall
off the stumps. Imagine if there is a rule that the entire team
will be ‘out’, if all the three stumps fall. Would it be fun!
ÖÖÖÖÖ Try and play the game with this rule. Similarly, make some
rules for other games and play.
2019-20

In the hills of Uttaranchal there is a place where there
are flowers everywhere. This place is called the ‘Valley
of Flowers’. In some places, one sees red flowers blooming
on bushes, while in others one finds white flowers
peeping out between the stones. There are wide areas
carpeted with the brightest yellow flowers. And
suddenly, elsewhere, blue flowers shining like tiny stars
between the grass. All this seems like a beautiful dream,
doesn’t it? Yes, because like a dream these flowers bloom
only for a few weeks in the year.
Now close your eyes and imagine that you have
reached such a place. How does it feel? Which songs do
you feel like singing?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever seen so many flowers grow together
anywhere? where?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many differently coloured flowers have you seen?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Write their colours.
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The Valley of Flowers
85
ÖÖÖÖÖ Now you were just left counting, weren’t you?
Are there any things in your house which have designs of
flowers made on them – like clothes, sheets, vases, etc.?
Here is a floral design in the box below.
For the teacher: Encourage children to locate Uttrakhand on the map.
The design in the picture
is called ‘Madhubani’. It is
a very old form of folk art.
Do you know why it is
called Madhubani? There
is a district in Bihar called
Madhubani. Here, during
festivals and happy
occasions, the walls of the
houses and their courtyards
are painted with such
pictures. These paintings
are made out of paste of
powdered rice in which
colour has been mixed. The colours used in Madhubani
painting are very special too. To make them, indigo (Neel),
turmeric (Haldi), colours from flowers and trees, etc., are
used. The paintings show human beings, animals, trees,
flowers, birds, etc.
Draw your own design in your notebook and colour it as well.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Look at the designs made by your friends as well.
2019-20

Looking Around
86
The World of FlowersThe World of FlowersThe World of FlowersThe World of FlowersThe World of Flowers
Here are some pictures of flowers. Mark a ( ) on the flowers
which you recognise. Write their names too if you know.
ÖÖÖÖÖ From the pictures given above, and other flowers that you
know, give names of two which
ÖÖÖÖÖ grow on trees
ÖÖÖÖÖ grow on bushes
2019-20

87
ÖÖÖÖÖ grow on creepers
ÖÖÖÖÖ grow on water plants
ÖÖÖÖÖ bloom only at night
ÖÖÖÖÖ bloom in the day
and close at night
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which flowers can you
recognise by their scent,
even with your eyes
closed?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which flowers bloom
all the year round?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Which flowers bloom only
in certain months ?
Are there any trees or plants which never have any flowers?
Find out and write.
Why this?Why this?Why this?Why this?Why this?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Have you ever seen a board like this
put up anywhere?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do people pluck flowers even when this
board is there?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Why do you think they do this?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Should they do this?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What would happen if everybody
plucked flowers?
DO NOT PLUCK
FLOWERS
2019-20

Looking Around
88
Letuslookclosely
Children who can bring flowers may bring one or two flowers to
class. Remember that you must collect only fallen flowers. Do
not pluck any flower. Make groups of three or four children and
look at one flower carefully –
ÖÖÖÖÖ What is the colour of the flower?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What kind of a scent does it have?
ÖÖÖÖÖ What does it look like – a bell, a bowl, a brush or anything
else?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Do these flowers grow in bunches?
ÖÖÖÖÖ How many petals does it have?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Are all the petals joined together or separate?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Outside the petals, can you see any green leafy structure?
How many are there?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Inside the petals, in the middle of the flower, can you see
some thin structures? Write its colour.
2019-20

89
ÖÖÖÖÖ When you touch these, do you find a powdery thing on your
hands?
Blooming buds!Blooming buds!Blooming buds!Blooming buds!Blooming buds!
You must have seen buds on the plants. If
there are any flower bearing plants growing
near your school or home, look carefully at
their buds.
ÖÖÖÖÖ What differences do you find between a
flower and a bud?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Draw the picture of a bud and its flower in your notebook.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you tell how many days will a bud take to bloom into a
flower? Let us try and find out.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Choose a bud that is growing on a plant and look at it
everyday. Write the name of the plant.
ÖÖÖÖÖ When you first saw this bud, the date was _________. Now
when the bud has bloomed into a flower, the date is _______.
How many days did the bud take to become a flower?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Ask your friends the names of the different flowers that
they have seen. How much time did it take their buds to
become flowers?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Also observe how many days the same flower took to dry.
2019-20

Looking Around
90
So many uses!So many uses!So many uses!So many uses!So many uses!
Flowers are even eaten!Flowers are even eaten!Flowers are even eaten!Flowers are even eaten!Flowers are even eaten!
What are the different ways we use flowers in our daily life? Do
you know that flowers can be eaten as well? Many flowers are
cooked as vegetables.
In Uttar Pradesh, Firoza and Nilima enjoy eating a vegetable
made of kachnar flowers.
In Kerala, Yamini wants her mother to cook her a vegetable
made of banana flowers.
Mamta and Omar who are from Maharashtra love pakoras
made of sahjan flowers.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Are flowers cooked in your home as a dry vegetable, a gravy
dish or as a chutney? Find out which flowers are used for
these.
Flowers in medicines!Flowers in medicines!Flowers in medicines!Flowers in medicines!Flowers in medicines!
Flowers are used to make many medicines as well.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out names of any two flowers which are used for making
medicines?
How is rose water used in your house? Is it used as medicine,
sweets, lassi or something else? Find out and tell others.
Colours from flowersColours from flowersColours from flowersColours from flowersColours from flowers
Colours are made from many flowers like marigolds, zenia, etc.
These colours can also be used to dye cloth.
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91
ÖÖÖÖÖ Find out and write the names
of some more flowers that are
used for making colours.
ÖÖÖÖÖ Can you think of a colour of
which there is no flower?
ÖÖÖÖÖ Write the names of such flowers
which are used to make scents.
For the teacher: Encourage children to locate Uttar Pradesh, Kerala
and Maharashtra on the Map. Discuss with children that Itr is a pure
extract of flowers.
You may have heard of some of
Granny’s old recipes which use
flowers. Here is a recipe for which rose
water is used.
GRANNY’S RECIPE
Mix equal part of rose water and
glycerine. Fill this in a bottle. Add a
few drops of lemon juice. In winters
use this mixture on your skin. Your
skin will not crack or dry.
Have you experienced the smell on opening a small bottle
of Itr ? Do you know – even a small bottle of Itr is made
from lots and lots of flowers?
The Kannauj district in Uttar Pradesh is famous for
Itr. Truckloads of flowers are brought from neighbouring
areas for this purpose.Itr, rose water, Kewra water are
prepared from flowers here. Thousands of people in
Kannauj are engaged in this work.
2019-20

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